Filling devices of this generic type are known from EP 1 134 182 A1 or EP 2 527 260 A1 also owned by the applicant. Both devices include a plurality of carrier elements which in turn include a plurality of receiving openings for individual containers. The carrier elements are run in a continuous cycle through an upper main element and a lower main element through the filling device. Thus, the carrier elements are arranged in direct contact with each other at least in a main element which includes the operating stations processing the containers. This way receiving openings are arranged in this main element in pass through direction behind each other in rows and in columns adjacent to each other transversal to the pass through direction.
The operating stations of the filling device feed individual containers, place the individual containers in receiving openings, perform sterilization of the individual containers and carrier elements, fill the individual container with food products like e.g. yogurt, a beverage or a spreadable fat material etc. Then the individual containers are covered in a sealing station with a sealing foil and closed, optionally subjected to a seal test and subsequently combined into assemblies and packaged. When easily perishable food products like e.g. yogurt are being filled a filling device is typically housed in a sterile portion. Sterile air is blown into this housing so that a positive pressure is created in this location that prevents a penetration of germs through the air.
The essential difference between both known filling and transport devices is the drive mode. In the first known device the cell plates are attached to an endless feed device, typically a chain and are transported by the chain through the device in a revolving manner. The second known device omits the endless drive device since the endless drive device can have considerable disadvantages under particular conditions.
As a matter of principle filling food products requires maintaining stringent hygiene standards wherein the hygiene standards differ from each other depending on the type of product. The instant invention relates in particular to a device for filling food products with a low acid content into individual containers like e.g. filling sauces for meals ready to eat, snacks or finger food. Products of this type are typically very sensitive so that already small germ loads which are not a problem e.g. for products with higher acid content are problematic and lead to a quick spoiling of the food products.
In order to keep the germ loading sufficiently small the sterilization device has to comply with stringent requirements since the high cyclic rate of the carrier elements only permits a small dwelling time in the sterilization device.
The carrier elements filled with the individual containers are therefore introduced into the sterilization device and covered with a fine peroxide mist. Thus, the individual containers are lifted slightly so that a gap is formed between the support rim of the container and the top side of the carrier element. The sterilizing peroxide mist penetrates through this gap also into surface portions of the carrier element that are covered otherwise.
However, there is also a need to sufficiently sterilize carrier elements without containers since cell plates without containers can run into the sterile portion of the arrangement during start up or shut down of a production cycle, during interferences in the container feed or during container sealing. This sterile portion extends from the container sterilization to the portion of container sealing.